1 00:00:13,00 --> 00:00:13,72 So my name is 2 00:00:13,76 --> 00:00:20,64 a lot of her and thank you first of all for the invitation to come and speak 3 00:00:21,01 --> 00:00:25,31 I think just looking at the agenda and the itinerary that you have for the next 4 00:00:25,32 --> 00:00:30,73 month that's very impressive so excited to be here to speak with you I'm cored 5 00:00:30,74 --> 00:00:37,41 nadir of making change at Walmart Puget Sound coalition and 6 00:00:37,96 --> 00:00:39,71 the coalition really I'm also 7 00:00:39,72 --> 00:00:44,42 a community organizer for us C W Local twenty one we represent the grocery workers 8 00:00:44,43 --> 00:00:46,11 and I agree it's 9 00:00:46,12 --> 00:00:51,04 a huge relief that we didn't have to strike but our members were ready to and the 10 00:00:51,05 --> 00:00:54,81 reason that they were ready to is because they had so many customers coming in 11 00:00:54,82 --> 00:00:59,04 telling them that you were behind them one hundred percent and that gave them the 12 00:00:59,05 --> 00:01:01,79 courage to carry through and to get 13 00:01:01,80 --> 00:01:08,52 a good contract so we're very excited about that. But as part of my work as well 14 00:01:09,05 --> 00:01:10,71 making change at Walmart it's 15 00:01:10,72 --> 00:01:16,53 a campaign that's been going for about two years now it's the the latest iteration 16 00:01:16,54 --> 00:01:21,69 of past campaigns highlighting the way that Wal-Mart operates before it was 17 00:01:21,70 --> 00:01:28,00 a Wake Up Wal-Mart and the high high price. High Cost of Low 18 00:01:28,01 --> 00:01:30,11 prices is 19 00:01:30,12 --> 00:01:34,50 a movie that came out right around the time that Wake Up Wal-Mart was really 20 00:01:34,51 --> 00:01:39,42 highlighting the way that Wal-Mart impacts workers' lives and all of our lives 21 00:01:39,43 --> 00:01:44,87 frankly and so the making change at Wal-Mart Puget Sound coalition is 22 00:01:45,17 --> 00:01:51,01 a coalition of over two dozen organizations locally of faith organizations small 23 00:01:51,02 --> 00:01:57,88 business food justice women's rights immigrant rights organizations all coming 24 00:01:57,89 --> 00:02:03,57 together recognizing that in order to rebuild our country in order to rebuild our 25 00:02:03,58 --> 00:02:08,12 middle class we really do have to tackle Wal-Mart and so where we're in this 26 00:02:08,13 --> 00:02:14,88 together. And why Wal-Mart. How many of you are somewhat familiar with 27 00:02:14,92 --> 00:02:20,52 with Wal-Mart and how they operate and if we've done our job well lots of hands. 28 00:02:21,73 --> 00:02:28,37 So the title that I had on the first page was change Wal-Mart change or world 29 00:02:28,73 --> 00:02:32,33 and partly that's because that's that's Gerri's phrase that he uses 30 00:02:32,34 --> 00:02:38,09 a lot Gerry is going to come up and talk to you soon. He he says if we can change 31 00:02:38,10 --> 00:02:43,15 Wal-Mart we can change the world and it's not really that much of an exaggeration 32 00:02:43,16 --> 00:02:43,59 there's 33 00:02:43,60 --> 00:02:49,22 a lot of truth to it because Wal-Mart is the world's largest employer there's about 34 00:02:49,23 --> 00:02:53,97 one point four million workers in the United States that work directly for Wal-Mart 35 00:02:54,40 --> 00:03:00,82 and over two million worldwide that are employees of Wal-Mart that doesn't include 36 00:03:00,83 --> 00:03:05,77 all of the workers who work through Wal-Mart supply chain the ones that make the 37 00:03:05,78 --> 00:03:11,78 clothing that Wal-Mart buys the ones that work in the seafood plants where Wal-Mart 38 00:03:11,79 --> 00:03:16,84 sources their seafood the ones that work in the warehouses that move exclusively 39 00:03:16,85 --> 00:03:23,53 Wal-Mart product so just the workers who work on the retail and it's over two 40 00:03:23,54 --> 00:03:26,55 million worldwide and one point four million in the U.S. 41 00:03:26,56 --> 00:03:30,53 The world's largest employer and the largest employer in the U.S. 42 00:03:31,70 --> 00:03:38,09 And so Wal-Mart really the way that they operate impacts all of us they impacts 43 00:03:38,10 --> 00:03:41,84 those workers directly and that impacts their families and impacts their 44 00:03:41,85 --> 00:03:48,36 communities and. Beyond just the sheer millions of 45 00:03:48,37 --> 00:03:54,22 workers that are impacted by Wal-Mart also the amount of wealth that has been 46 00:03:54,26 --> 00:04:00,62 amassed by six heirs the six children of Sam Walton who who 47 00:04:00,82 --> 00:04:07,00 founded Wal-Mart are the world's I think the world's richest family certainly the 48 00:04:07,01 --> 00:04:13,93 richest in the country and they have amassed wealth that is the is equal to the 49 00:04:13,94 --> 00:04:19,29 bottom forty two percent of all American families the bottom forty two percent of 50 00:04:19,30 --> 00:04:25,29 all American families have wealth equal to these six kids although they're adults 51 00:04:25,30 --> 00:04:30,76 now but they still refer to them as kids that's forty nine million families so with 52 00:04:30,87 --> 00:04:32,27 all of that wealth comes 53 00:04:32,28 --> 00:04:38,44 a lot of influence because believe me they use their money to ensure that they 54 00:04:38,48 --> 00:04:44,81 build that wealth and continue on this path so that the Wal-Mart's ruling family 55 00:04:45,19 --> 00:04:50,69 the Waltons their wealth is actually doubled since two thousand and seven and in 56 00:04:50,70 --> 00:04:53,52 fact just last month there was 57 00:04:54,20 --> 00:05:00,48 a new Forbes list of the four hundred richest Americans and the six Walton's 58 00:05:01,45 --> 00:05:06,97 were shown to have increased their net worth by twenty five percent in just the 59 00:05:06,98 --> 00:05:13,71 last six months so that if. You can't remember how many million it 60 00:05:13,72 --> 00:05:19,78 is twenty nine billion since March is what their wealth has increased by 61 00:05:20,46 --> 00:05:25,48 and in just the last six months and they're worth about one hundred and forty five 62 00:05:25,49 --> 00:05:31,21 billion dollars Those those six individuals and this is while the vast majority of 63 00:05:31,22 --> 00:05:33,98 Wal-Mart workers make less than twenty five thousand 64 00:05:34,02 --> 00:05:40,94 a year. And when you look at all that wealth it's 65 00:05:40,98 --> 00:05:47,18 it's certainly not trickling down Wal-Mart is the largest user of government 66 00:05:47,19 --> 00:05:52,14 assistance in the state of Washington and they're the number one user of D.S.H. 67 00:05:52,15 --> 00:05:56,99 US medical in Washington State they have been consistently since the state has 68 00:05:57,00 --> 00:06:01,27 tracked that information that means that their employees through no fault of their 69 00:06:01,28 --> 00:06:06,86 own These are workers who are working full time sometimes are forced on to basic 70 00:06:06,87 --> 00:06:12,75 health their kids are in are forced onto government provided medical because they 71 00:06:12,76 --> 00:06:18,40 can't get it through Wal-Mart they are heavy users of food stamps as well. 72 00:06:20,10 --> 00:06:26,37 As it's referred to now and now that the Affordable Care Act has been implemented 73 00:06:26,61 --> 00:06:30,72 I'm sure you're not surprised to guess that Wal-Mart more and more workers are 74 00:06:30,76 --> 00:06:33,01 being given fewer than thirty hours 75 00:06:33,94 --> 00:06:40,41 a week so that they they don't even get health care through Wal-Mart at all anymore 76 00:06:40,42 --> 00:06:47,41 many don't. And so. Wal-Mart is we are subsidizing Wal-Mart's 77 00:06:47,42 --> 00:06:53,32 business model is the America's richest family and we're still paying to provide 78 00:06:53,51 --> 00:06:59,83 food and health care to their to their employees and they also have 79 00:07:00,26 --> 00:07:07,18 a very strategic benefit of avoiding property taxes they regularly challenge taxes 80 00:07:07,19 --> 00:07:12,95 all across the country and they find ways to shelter themselves from paying taxes 81 00:07:13,26 --> 00:07:18,84 and so they're not satisfied with just having their employees you know on public 82 00:07:18,85 --> 00:07:24,66 programs but they're also trying to avoid taxes at any cost and when Wal-Mart moves 83 00:07:24,67 --> 00:07:31,62 in and for every three jobs they create two jobs are lost or excuse me for every 84 00:07:31,63 --> 00:07:36,61 two jobs they create three jobs are lost and the reason is is because when Wal-Mart 85 00:07:36,62 --> 00:07:42,49 moves in they very intentionally undercut. The competition 86 00:07:43,19 --> 00:07:48,61 sometimes Mom and Pop shops they will undercut them they'll find ways to you know 87 00:07:48,62 --> 00:07:53,48 provide goods at lower lower cost they can take 88 00:07:53,49 --> 00:07:57,11 a loss this is the largest corporation right the richest corporation in the country 89 00:07:57,42 --> 00:07:58,47 they can operate at 90 00:07:58,48 --> 00:08:03,28 a loss long enough to drive other businesses out and then the prices will bounce 91 00:08:03,29 --> 00:08:09,04 back but. Many many businesses shut within like 92 00:08:09,08 --> 00:08:15,66 a mile two miles of Wal-Mart when they open. And 93 00:08:16,62 --> 00:08:21,15 Wal-Mart's influence on jobs the poverty wages and we already talked about that. 94 00:08:22,49 --> 00:08:28,78 That the overseas manufacturing Wal-Mart uses our trade trade 95 00:08:28,87 --> 00:08:34,65 agreements which if you're familiar with NAFTA Trans-Pacific Partnership is the 96 00:08:34,66 --> 00:08:40,68 latest agreement that is folks are trying to get passed that would continue 97 00:08:40,69 --> 00:08:45,12 Wal-Mart's ability to be able to scour the world for the cheapest goods at the 98 00:08:45,13 --> 00:08:50,76 lowest price that often means that these goods are made under unsafe working 99 00:08:50,77 --> 00:08:57,76 conditions and that workers aren't being paid well. And so overseas 100 00:08:57,77 --> 00:09:04,58 manufacturing the worker suffers well and Wal-Mart standard is so low that 101 00:09:04,62 --> 00:09:09,47 hundreds of thousands of its workers live in poverty even the ones that are working 102 00:09:09,48 --> 00:09:15,24 full time. And in fact the sweat shops they don't just exist overseas you know you 103 00:09:15,25 --> 00:09:20,49 hear about the sweat shops the garment factories in Bangladesh you hear about the 104 00:09:20,53 --> 00:09:27,24 sweat shops in Vietnam but we actually had a case in New Orleans where 105 00:09:27,38 --> 00:09:34,01 a seafood seafood plant was found to the workers very 106 00:09:34,06 --> 00:09:39,16 courageously these were largely Mexican immigrant workers in New Orleans very 107 00:09:39,17 --> 00:09:45,49 courageously went on strike and refused to work and they claimed that they were 108 00:09:45,50 --> 00:09:51,93 being forced to work that they were being locked locked into the plant and 109 00:09:51,94 --> 00:09:58,78 threatened physically threatened. By by management and there was an investigation 110 00:09:58,79 --> 00:10:03,29 and the investigation verified that in fact that was true there was forced labor 111 00:10:03,30 --> 00:10:08,62 happening in our own country in New Orleans and the workers were brave enough to 112 00:10:08,63 --> 00:10:13,53 stand up and fight it thank goodness that supplier went out of business they were 113 00:10:13,54 --> 00:10:19,53 forced to pay fines and restitution to the workers and the workers were given visas 114 00:10:20,25 --> 00:10:26,74 in as protection to them because they stood up and fought this and that 115 00:10:26,82 --> 00:10:32,90 Wal-Mart was the largest customer of that seafood plant so that just kind of gives 116 00:10:32,91 --> 00:10:34,59 you an indication that this isn't just 117 00:10:34,69 --> 00:10:41,41 a problem abroad in terms of sweatshops. And so 118 00:10:41,83 --> 00:10:46,57 you know I think that one thing about our campaign is we've been pounding away at 119 00:10:46,58 --> 00:10:47,06 Wal-Mart for 120 00:10:47,07 --> 00:10:50,96 a long time and there are workers that are very courageously standing up and 121 00:10:50,97 --> 00:10:56,19 talking about the way Wal-Mart operates and though we know that were effective 122 00:10:56,20 --> 00:11:01,91 because Wal-Mart is responding they're defending themselves and just recently they 123 00:11:01,92 --> 00:11:08,82 said very publicly that well we have this many you know hundreds of thousands of 124 00:11:08,83 --> 00:11:11,73 workers that are making over twenty five thousand 125 00:11:11,74 --> 00:11:17,30 a year so these are good jobs we provide good jobs what they didn't expect is that 126 00:11:17,31 --> 00:11:21,22 we can do the math I think they said that something like four hundred seventy five 127 00:11:21,23 --> 00:11:26,24 thousand workers make over twenty five thousand but they have one point two million 128 00:11:26,25 --> 00:11:32,91 workers in the United States so what does that tell you. So we we countered we said 129 00:11:32,92 --> 00:11:36,60 well that means that two thirds of your employees in the United States over eight 130 00:11:36,61 --> 00:11:41,96 hundred thousand make less than twenty five thousand a year and Wal-Mart was 131 00:11:41,97 --> 00:11:45,63 a bit flustered by that and then they responded They're like oh no no some of those 132 00:11:45,64 --> 00:11:51,18 are in our management So really it's it's only over half of our our employees make 133 00:11:51,19 --> 00:11:52,43 less than twenty five thousand 134 00:11:52,44 --> 00:11:59,22 a year. Either way it's unacceptable it's unacceptable that our 135 00:11:59,23 --> 00:12:05,96 richest corporation is operating in this way and. And luckily we have some very 136 00:12:05,97 --> 00:12:11,24 brave workers that are doing something about it. So there are several campaigns 137 00:12:11,25 --> 00:12:17,26 that have risen up to respond to Wal-Mart because of the realization again that it 138 00:12:17,27 --> 00:12:21,87 impacts all of us it impacts our communities it impacts workers and it impacts the 139 00:12:21,88 --> 00:12:27,30 entire retail industry I was talking to you about our grocery workers locally who 140 00:12:27,34 --> 00:12:28,37 were within an hour and 141 00:12:28,38 --> 00:12:34,75 a half of twenty two thousand workers having to go on strike and go without pay to 142 00:12:34,76 --> 00:12:40,03 just fight to maintain the union standards that they have in their jobs and the 143 00:12:40,04 --> 00:12:45,64 bargaining committee at the table when they with the employers these union 144 00:12:45,65 --> 00:12:50,21 corporations told them why they were demanding cuts in wages why they were 145 00:12:50,22 --> 00:12:55,17 demanding cuts in health care benefits and they said it's because we have to 146 00:12:55,18 --> 00:13:01,05 compete with companies like Wal-Mart and so you need to take the cuts because we 147 00:13:01,06 --> 00:13:04,74 have to compete with Wal-Mart and thank goodness our workers stood strong the 148 00:13:04,75 --> 00:13:09,19 community stood strong we said no we're not going that direction we're not going to 149 00:13:09,20 --> 00:13:15,41 chase Wal-Mart to the bottom and we succeeded in protecting improving wages and 150 00:13:15,42 --> 00:13:18,17 protecting all of our benefits and our pension but it was 151 00:13:18,18 --> 00:13:22,45 a fight and the reason we have to go through this fight every three years is 152 00:13:22,46 --> 00:13:28,13 because Wal-Mart is operating this way with no restrictions at least 153 00:13:29,28 --> 00:13:32,23 before they had no restrictions now we do so 154 00:13:32,24 --> 00:13:36,85 a very exciting development as we have. Wal-Mart workers who are standing up and 155 00:13:36,86 --> 00:13:39,20 organizing they're not organizing into a union it's 156 00:13:39,21 --> 00:13:43,81 a Workers Association called our Walmart organization United for respect at 157 00:13:43,82 --> 00:13:47,90 Wal-Mart and they are standing up and saying you know what we don't have 158 00:13:47,91 --> 00:13:52,04 a union but that doesn't that doesn't mean we can't act like Union it doesn't mean 159 00:13:52,05 --> 00:13:57,41 that we can't act together collectively to improve our working conditions so 160 00:13:57,42 --> 00:14:00,04 workers are standing up in our Wal-Mart to make 161 00:14:00,05 --> 00:14:03,89 a difference I told talk to you about making change at Wal-Mart which is the 162 00:14:03,90 --> 00:14:06,36 campaign run by you have C.W. 163 00:14:06,37 --> 00:14:11,59 The grocery workers union and the coalition in many cities across the country 164 00:14:11,99 --> 00:14:16,68 including Seattle we have warehouse workers united to stand up for the warehouse 165 00:14:16,69 --> 00:14:22,62 workers who operate again in warehouses that exclusively move Wal-Mart products 166 00:14:22,69 --> 00:14:26,15 they might as well be Wal-Mart warehouses but they're run by 167 00:14:26,16 --> 00:14:32,22 a third party so Wal-Mart can have that that layer of legal protection for the way 168 00:14:32,23 --> 00:14:38,53 the workers are treated we have the international alliance the uni America's 169 00:14:38,54 --> 00:14:43,59 alliance of Wal-Mart workers and unions across are all around the world who are 170 00:14:43,60 --> 00:14:48,74 coordinating together to demand that Wal-Mart do better it may surprise you that 171 00:14:48,75 --> 00:14:54,65 Wal-Mart is unionized in many places around the world in Brazil and several other 172 00:14:54,66 --> 00:14:59,20 countries they are forced to be union and so they do and that demonstrates that 173 00:14:59,21 --> 00:15:05,85 Wal-Mart will comply with with labor law and demands that workers be 174 00:15:05,86 --> 00:15:06,23 allowed 175 00:15:06,24 --> 00:15:11,32 a collective voice when they have to and unfortunately in this country they just 176 00:15:11,33 --> 00:15:15,89 don't have to so they don't but luckily we've got brothers and sisters around the 177 00:15:15,90 --> 00:15:20,03 world that are joining with us to put pressure on Wal-Mart where they are union and 178 00:15:20,04 --> 00:15:25,65 where they aren't Union and then we have the Wal-Mart one percent campaign which 179 00:15:26,10 --> 00:15:31,49 continues to highlight the Walton family the Walton heirs and to demand that they 180 00:15:31,50 --> 00:15:38,41 do better. And so some of the things we do is we do stand by our brothers 181 00:15:38,42 --> 00:15:42,38 and sisters around the world like the Bangladeshi garment workers and I'm sure 182 00:15:42,39 --> 00:15:48,70 you've heard about the fires and the disasters in factories in Bangladesh 183 00:15:48,99 --> 00:15:53,42 where workers basically go to work not knowing if they're going to come home to 184 00:15:53,43 --> 00:15:59,84 their their families and many have not thousands have not and in just 185 00:16:00,09 --> 00:16:06,78 gosh the last year we've had three disasters we have the factory fire just 186 00:16:06,79 --> 00:16:12,58 around Black Friday weekend last year over one hundred workers were were. 187 00:16:13,84 --> 00:16:14,56 Locked into 188 00:16:14,57 --> 00:16:20,55 a factory for some point of time. And many of skate and many did not over one 189 00:16:20,56 --> 00:16:26,39 hundred garment workers mostly young women died in that fire in Bangladesh and then 190 00:16:26,68 --> 00:16:30,28 help an actor she's a union organizer in Bangladesh She's 191 00:16:30,36 --> 00:16:35,49 a courageous organizer she came to talk about that disaster and she brought with 192 00:16:35,50 --> 00:16:38,16 her Sumi obviating who it was 193 00:16:38,17 --> 00:16:43,03 a garment worker in that factory in the factory when it caught fire and she jumped 194 00:16:43,04 --> 00:16:43,24 out of 195 00:16:43,25 --> 00:16:48,81 a window in and surprised survived to her own surprise actually she didn't expect 196 00:16:48,82 --> 00:16:50,64 to survive she jumped out of 197 00:16:50,65 --> 00:16:55,85 a third floor fourth floor window because she wanted her parents to have her body 198 00:16:56,14 --> 00:17:00,61 she had seen other situations where workers died in fires and their bodies were 199 00:17:00,62 --> 00:17:04,80 never recovered and so she jumped out of the factory to make sure that her family 200 00:17:04,81 --> 00:17:09,57 could have that closure and she managed to survive so she was here and while they 201 00:17:09,58 --> 00:17:12,90 were here we got news of the factory collapse where over 202 00:17:12,91 --> 00:17:15,66 a thousand workers were crushed to death again 203 00:17:15,67 --> 00:17:22,15 a factory where Wal-Mart was one of the largest customers and then just this month 204 00:17:22,31 --> 00:17:28,50 another fire eight workers died many more critically injured again Wal-Mart is the 205 00:17:28,51 --> 00:17:32,43 largest customer of these factories and as 206 00:17:32,44 --> 00:17:37,63 a result of these tragedies some. Thing good has come of it that there's finally 207 00:17:38,18 --> 00:17:43,66 a pact that is gaining ground and corporations are signing on agreeing to pay for 208 00:17:43,70 --> 00:17:49,70 the improvements necessary to get these factories up to standard but Wal-Mart still 209 00:17:49,71 --> 00:17:56,57 refuses to sign on even though these three disasters they are the largest 210 00:17:56,61 --> 00:18:00,66 or one of the largest customers so Wal-Mart still isn't doing the right thing by 211 00:18:00,67 --> 00:18:06,66 the workers and we will continue to stand by them until they do and the Walmart our 212 00:18:06,67 --> 00:18:11,30 Walmart organization United for respect at Wal-Mart this is the Workers Association 213 00:18:11,66 --> 00:18:18,20 just two years old is growing throughout the country the hands represent where the 214 00:18:18,21 --> 00:18:23,08 workers are organizing including in this area and this is 215 00:18:23,09 --> 00:18:26,75 a picture of our local team I don't know when I think this might have been taken 216 00:18:26,76 --> 00:18:33,52 like two years ago when they first formed and there continue to be really amazing 217 00:18:33,61 --> 00:18:40,03 amazing courageous leaders that are coming out of our local stores and some of the 218 00:18:40,03 --> 00:18:43,86 things they do is they demand safety in the stores this is actually 219 00:18:43,87 --> 00:18:49,34 a Jerry store Federal Way super center there were many safety hazards that were 220 00:18:49,34 --> 00:18:53,22 identified by workers and they were taken to management time and time again in the 221 00:18:53,23 --> 00:18:58,76 repairs were not made and finally they came together they signed 222 00:18:58,77 --> 00:19:04,84 a petition laying out what the safety hazards were and why they had to be fixed and 223 00:19:04,86 --> 00:19:09,64 they went along with community along with people like you and me to deliver the 224 00:19:09,65 --> 00:19:14,02 petition to the store manager she says she's not the store manager but she was the 225 00:19:14,02 --> 00:19:20,82 manager on duty and. Even though despite months of raising these issues these 226 00:19:20,83 --> 00:19:25,52 safety issues they were not repaired when that petition was delivered that very 227 00:19:25,53 --> 00:19:31,28 night one of the most egregious safety hazards was repaired immediately and so that 228 00:19:31,29 --> 00:19:35,52 demonstrates the effectiveness of workers standing together and so there there was 229 00:19:35,53 --> 00:19:40,78 a pallet that was carrying tons and tons of product and it was off its base and if 230 00:19:40,79 --> 00:19:42,18 that had slipped with 231 00:19:42,19 --> 00:19:47,98 a worker underneath they would have been killed and that night it was fixed there 232 00:19:47,99 --> 00:19:51,75 are still other issues that haven't been repaired but that demonstrates the power 233 00:19:51,76 --> 00:19:58,57 of the workers and so Jerry is one of our strongest leaders and he has 234 00:19:58,58 --> 00:20:04,95 stood strong and spoken out despite you know Wal-Mart's record of retaliation and. 235 00:20:06,11 --> 00:20:12,19 And he's he's never stopped despite everything and they did ultimately fire him and 236 00:20:12,20 --> 00:20:17,86 he went on strike earlier this year and when he came back within about three days 237 00:20:17,87 --> 00:20:24,46 Jerry was suspended for some bogus reason and ultimately fired Wal-Mart has 238 00:20:24,47 --> 00:20:30,39 refused to hire him back we still demand that he get his job back retaliation is 239 00:20:30,40 --> 00:20:34,01 unacceptable and we have made that clear and we're going to continue to fight for 240 00:20:34,02 --> 00:20:38,03 Jerry but he continues to fart fight for his coworkers he hasn't stopped for 241 00:20:38,04 --> 00:20:43,74 a second and you're going to hear from him and very luckily doesn't have to do it 242 00:20:43,75 --> 00:20:45,45 alone or with him this is 243 00:20:45,46 --> 00:20:51,66 a picture of some of the community supporters faith allies human rights 244 00:20:51,67 --> 00:20:56,89 allies people just regular people like you and me who are standing with the workers 245 00:20:57,31 --> 00:21:01,02 and we're going to make sure that the workers aren't alone and that we all do this 246 00:21:01,03 --> 00:21:05,79 together. One thing you can do we'll talk about this 247 00:21:05,80 --> 00:21:10,61 a little bit later but the workers are going on strike in response to the 248 00:21:10,62 --> 00:21:16,57 retaliation and in response to Jerry's firing in response to discipline that that's 249 00:21:16,58 --> 00:21:20,36 been taken against other workers who have stood up around unsafe and unfair working 250 00:21:20,37 --> 00:21:25,58 conditions and so the workers are going on strike on November twelfth and we're 251 00:21:25,59 --> 00:21:28,71 going to be with them and you're invited to join us there flyers on the back so 252 00:21:28,72 --> 00:21:33,89 that you can take them in and give them to your friends and family as well and 253 00:21:33,90 --> 00:21:37,67 here's some information now I'm going to ask Jerry to come up and tell you his 254 00:21:37,68 --> 00:21:38,05 story. 255 00:21:47,09 --> 00:21:53,85 Good evening everybody Oh thank you be very much for invite me this meeting I think 256 00:21:53,86 --> 00:21:59,76 is. Important for me and it think it's not for me just one point three. 257 00:22:01,88 --> 00:22:07,48 One point three million workers around award I work toward Mark two thousand and 258 00:22:07,49 --> 00:22:13,31 six. Because I was to live in Las Vegas and I was 259 00:22:14,17 --> 00:22:20,81 a bartender in. The scene Oh and that's why I'm quit saw 260 00:22:21,09 --> 00:22:26,55 my Barton doing it because I don't like you know I see people drinking in 261 00:22:26,56 --> 00:22:30,36 a bar and I quit and I think God she have 262 00:22:30,37 --> 00:22:36,65 a plan for me too I worked Wal-Mart because I want to see about 263 00:22:37,36 --> 00:22:43,32 Wal-Mart management and how do we how we treat the workers and up to two thousand 264 00:22:43,33 --> 00:22:50,08 and six and first day I worked at Wal-Mart and I observe and this 265 00:22:50,60 --> 00:22:57,23 company it's just me and it's the beery disrespected the workers and this my 266 00:22:57,24 --> 00:23:02,05 personality is I always. Inside 267 00:23:02,06 --> 00:23:08,82 a store but I working hard. And if I start to clock in I start you know war and I 268 00:23:08,83 --> 00:23:15,66 stop it at break time and two thousand two thousand and seven and I more I 269 00:23:15,67 --> 00:23:22,22 moved here and Washington state because. I'd like to leave it less bagus because 270 00:23:22,26 --> 00:23:29,11 you know the guy they brought. Over to and and drinking but you know I 271 00:23:29,12 --> 00:23:34,24 don't drinking I don't gamble and I work it's two thousand and seven and and Peter 272 00:23:34,25 --> 00:23:41,05 always store and now it's mean. I observed peace inside the store 273 00:23:41,06 --> 00:23:45,53 in about the safety you know safety is very important to 274 00:23:45,54 --> 00:23:52,46 a workplace the workers you know it's I worked for good in chemical and 275 00:23:53,78 --> 00:24:00,34 and I think like peeped in Follett job is broken and I keep going 276 00:24:00,69 --> 00:24:05,73 open door to my store money just go whoa you house how because you don't replace 277 00:24:05,74 --> 00:24:12,66 the the fall it job and I start money you're serious fun to me and he said Jerry 278 00:24:12,67 --> 00:24:19,48 it's no use no budget for bio does with me to be good Did you like you guys you 279 00:24:19,49 --> 00:24:26,43 know people in here it's hard being here in Occident or using Quitman 280 00:24:28,28 --> 00:24:33,22 in his management skip going lying to me and he said Jerry's don't worry about that 281 00:24:33,23 --> 00:24:38,40 I'm ordering and I ordering but I'm waiting for one year this one much you don't 282 00:24:38,44 --> 00:24:45,08 order an and dismay strategy and because I or clover night 283 00:24:45,20 --> 00:24:51,73 and I encourage them my coworker for like you know sign sign for about the 284 00:24:51,74 --> 00:24:58,46 safety about safety and my coworker sign I think almost thirty my 285 00:24:58,47 --> 00:25:05,19 coworkers signed. And I bring that. You know I bring to my to my 286 00:25:05,20 --> 00:25:12,07 store manager and and she says if you don't you don't respond this problem 287 00:25:12,08 --> 00:25:14,41 inside the store and this I'm 288 00:25:14,42 --> 00:25:21,37 a coworker he signed up already and but this keep going lying to me and after that 289 00:25:21,69 --> 00:25:28,57 and I keep going Wark every night and observe and up there I destroy my to me 290 00:25:28,95 --> 00:25:35,40 because. I work overload you know I work people are good in chemical and I stopped 291 00:25:35,41 --> 00:25:41,64 when the fall it every day every night every night and Walmart management the more 292 00:25:41,100 --> 00:25:46,32 the more you are you see it the more you working hard the more you give you 293 00:25:46,61 --> 00:25:53,06 overlook and I'm not I'm not. I'm not 294 00:25:53,48 --> 00:26:00,33 like I complained up because you know it's I can do anything about that because if 295 00:26:00,34 --> 00:26:04,33 you are great to Wal-Mart management you're going to call you an obese if you're 296 00:26:04,34 --> 00:26:09,28 not great then he knew and he said Jerry if you don't stop what you're doing you're 297 00:26:09,29 --> 00:26:12,54 going to fight you and and he got 298 00:26:12,55 --> 00:26:19,13 a lot of. Pretending to me and up to. I decided 299 00:26:19,42 --> 00:26:23,53 to file for labor from this you know I'm for 300 00:26:23,55 --> 00:26:30,28 a lower price right you Elfie and I filed because the money is 301 00:26:30,32 --> 00:26:37,26 every night he's harassing me to my job place and Jerry's you don't allow to you 302 00:26:37,27 --> 00:26:42,99 told me that you don't allow to do signing here you know allowed to unionize in 303 00:26:42,100 --> 00:26:49,10 here because I'm not signing in there I stand up my right because you guys you 304 00:26:49,11 --> 00:26:54,19 don't treat the workers right and I keep going to that because it's my personality 305 00:26:54,20 --> 00:27:01,15 is it is right is right. You know I CAN YOU CAN I don't scared and Evan why 306 00:27:01,16 --> 00:27:07,03 did someone like modest means keep going harassing me I don't scare. Because if you 307 00:27:07,04 --> 00:27:13,94 saw right it's right and I thought until that joined our Walmart organization 308 00:27:14,17 --> 00:27:21,01 because and every night he's like I feel like. I 309 00:27:21,02 --> 00:27:27,78 feel like I'm sick because one much give me an overload every night and 310 00:27:28,45 --> 00:27:34,75 you know these are my feelings is and I've been praying to the lord going to help 311 00:27:34,76 --> 00:27:40,17 me for this nation in Wal-Mart and and I keep going for 312 00:27:40,18 --> 00:27:47,12 a after. The hour Wal-Mart organization it's not my my house door 313 00:27:47,13 --> 00:27:53,17 and and his name is Kenny and he said Jerry did you work the one article Yes I 314 00:27:53,18 --> 00:28:00,17 worked the Wal-Mart and and he asked me what's going 315 00:28:00,18 --> 00:28:05,33 on because you know what this is hard to work this company because you control 316 00:28:05,34 --> 00:28:09,91 everything and I do it all Wal-Mart are going to say shoo in and I keep going 317 00:28:09,95 --> 00:28:15,13 strong and is strong every day and I think I have I like to take the open door to 318 00:28:15,14 --> 00:28:21,86 my store for about the safety I do to stop that and I told my son my store 319 00:28:21,87 --> 00:28:27,25 manager if you guys you don't do it right I don't stop get going inside your office 320 00:28:28,07 --> 00:28:34,33 and I keep going that every day and I going to fall break and you know do you upset 321 00:28:34,34 --> 00:28:34,79 W. 322 00:28:34,80 --> 00:28:41,09 All Wal-Mart and invite me to public and telling about the Wal-Mart story I don't stop 323 00:28:41,88 --> 00:28:43,22 because you know this hurt me 324 00:28:43,23 --> 00:28:48,24 a lot because you know how sad this was Marty I picked it all out a lot of blight 325 00:28:49,05 --> 00:28:54,90 a lot of life around War It's like me most especially right now to my life I have 326 00:28:54,91 --> 00:28:58,15 a family to feed it and I have 327 00:28:58,48 --> 00:29:04,31 a pure joy you know to my life to but one might fired me or to situation because 328 00:29:04,32 --> 00:29:09,01 Wal-Mart the more the mill the multi billion dollars company in the war in the 329 00:29:09,02 --> 00:29:15,24 control of the war. You know honestly discomforting I love this company but you 330 00:29:15,25 --> 00:29:21,24 know I like one much did the do it the right way to want us to do it the right way 331 00:29:21,25 --> 00:29:28,11 to human being it's not that's the only don't go down. You 332 00:29:28,12 --> 00:29:34,30 know on owned it's own this money it's mean you know he controlled the wall because 333 00:29:34,31 --> 00:29:38,49 the powerful because the money but it's not right it's mean he picked it 334 00:29:38,50 --> 00:29:44,09 a human being all this us in the war disguised created supposed to be help it's 335 00:29:44,10 --> 00:29:49,77 either it's not like take advanced it's people but you know honestly I love this 336 00:29:49,78 --> 00:29:54,67 company that's why you know what every night I going to work over school system or 337 00:29:54,68 --> 00:29:56,81 service I help push them or 338 00:29:56,82 --> 00:30:03,38 a lot and I work hard but Walmart's you don't recognize me and how high will I walk 339 00:30:03,68 --> 00:30:08,92 how I hard work but you don't recognize what I might think about that's all money 340 00:30:08,100 --> 00:30:15,58 that's And he said Wal-Mart management told me said Jerry I feel toward Now by your 341 00:30:15,59 --> 00:30:21,61 Shut your mouth and you know it's just very set in you know that's why I horsed 342 00:30:21,62 --> 00:30:23,18 going to help us who's going to war 343 00:30:24,12 --> 00:30:29,69 a war I helped our one point three million workers around us that's why right now I 344 00:30:29,70 --> 00:30:36,03 don't stop even Wal-Mart fired me like last three days ago I go into Washington 345 00:30:36,04 --> 00:30:36,49 D.C. 346 00:30:37,71 --> 00:30:44,49 And more talk to people to make changes want I don't stop if this guy just me to 347 00:30:44,50 --> 00:30:45,87 telling the truth in 348 00:30:45,88 --> 00:30:52,82 a spread the word about the Wal-Mart from I don't stop because it's 349 00:30:52,83 --> 00:30:59,54 very hard it's very sad you know some my coworkers people or sometimes he asked me 350 00:30:59,56 --> 00:31:05,55 about buy soda because she only been picked for living paycheck to paycheck the 351 00:31:05,56 --> 00:31:12,44 house hard up in you know my store I wore It's like he's he's making every Friday 352 00:31:12,45 --> 00:31:14,90 Saturday so make like four hundred thousand 353 00:31:14,94 --> 00:31:21,85 a day. How it's done in how many store around the world in Thousand storehouse 354 00:31:21,86 --> 00:31:26,58 that's making money it's company houses you don't share this money toward us but 355 00:31:26,59 --> 00:31:33,31 there's not this very sad that's why I'm here and I think you're going to hear my 356 00:31:33,32 --> 00:31:38,88 story and all over the place and it's very sad and I'm very emotion that because 357 00:31:39,60 --> 00:31:45,66 you know it's if I think about only myself I don't do it this I think about that 358 00:31:45,67 --> 00:31:51,73 too Michael works because you know it's me in all this human being here in the 359 00:31:51,74 --> 00:31:56,86 world supposed to be help it's art or it's not being selfish because for money it's 360 00:31:56,87 --> 00:32:02,36 very sad right you know it's that's why I'm here I don't stop 361 00:32:03,89 --> 00:32:10,88 that's why I To morrow I'm going to. Rain don't pour color 362 00:32:10,89 --> 00:32:17,01 Nari but even I going to school I don't stop this campaign warmer but you know I 363 00:32:17,02 --> 00:32:20,68 try to myself to. You know you upset W. 364 00:32:20,69 --> 00:32:25,79 Our woman told me to back to work the Wal-Mart because I love this company. Because 365 00:32:25,80 --> 00:32:27,61 I talents that a lot I challenge 366 00:32:27,65 --> 00:32:34,52 a lot warmer because I stand on my right and and I think yes it be 367 00:32:34,53 --> 00:32:40,44 showing that come pain community to help me to back me to work I think it's you 368 00:32:40,45 --> 00:32:47,16 know I think. You know yeah it's very emotional 369 00:32:47,31 --> 00:32:53,57 because you know seriously. You know I think it's been my bells is hard to pay 370 00:32:53,58 --> 00:32:59,33 because one might fight me by getting me and one might be fired me for no reason 371 00:33:00,06 --> 00:33:06,95 and I. Just like. It I mean it before unlawful termination and. 372 00:33:08,32 --> 00:33:14,19 You suspended me for two weeks and upgraded. And I've been calling to my store 373 00:33:14,20 --> 00:33:19,19 manager why you suspended me and why you fired and I said you're E.O.'s under 374 00:33:19,20 --> 00:33:25,08 investigations you go under to get them for what. And after two weeks he called me 375 00:33:25,09 --> 00:33:25,79 an O.P.C. 376 00:33:25,80 --> 00:33:32,15 Said. I'm returning to my quarters and I don't do that 377 00:33:32,80 --> 00:33:33,83 you know I some I as 378 00:33:33,84 --> 00:33:39,02 a human being I don't I don't do it that to my coworkers and you know Wal-Mart and 379 00:33:39,06 --> 00:33:45,98 its longtime you targeting me and and he fired me for no reason and now it's I'm 380 00:33:45,99 --> 00:33:46,52 looking for 381 00:33:46,53 --> 00:33:53,05 a job. And my family suffer for DOS That's 382 00:33:53,06 --> 00:33:59,93 why I need you guys health I think it is very important to write these scumming 383 00:33:59,94 --> 00:34:06,37 a Black Friday to you guys you have you know support our Walmart to make changes to 384 00:34:06,38 --> 00:34:08,21 one point three million work I surround 385 00:34:08,22 --> 00:34:13,22 a war I think it's very eyes. If you see my story you think you know my story and 386 00:34:13,26 --> 00:34:18,37 thank you so much for her my story. Thank you. 387 00:34:21,29 --> 00:34:28,01 So that's powerful. Thank you very very is like I said he is he hasn't 388 00:34:28,02 --> 00:34:30,18 skipped a beat he hasn't stopped He's 389 00:34:30,19 --> 00:34:36,28 a fierce fierce advocate for his coworkers for his family for all of us and he's 390 00:34:36,29 --> 00:34:42,32 not alone workers across the country are standing up some are suffering retaliation 391 00:34:42,36 --> 00:34:47,23 others aren't some workers who never stand up for themselves get fired for no good 392 00:34:47,24 --> 00:34:53,66 reason. Not just the leaders but while Mark can change we've shown that they can 393 00:34:53,67 --> 00:34:57,15 change I showed you the example of the workers demanding 394 00:34:57,16 --> 00:35:04,09 a safety safety improvements in the store and getting some results Wal-Mart 395 00:35:04,10 --> 00:35:09,73 is responding to public pressure they're losing money they're not there so their 396 00:35:09,74 --> 00:35:16,36 stores are not profitable year after year and part of that is because 397 00:35:16,63 --> 00:35:20,85 of the understaffing they're not keeping their shelves full they're getting 398 00:35:20,86 --> 00:35:26,47 a lot of credit criticism for that for not staffing adequately empty shelves 399 00:35:26,48 --> 00:35:32,82 unhappy customers non-profitable stores and but it's not about the money this is 400 00:35:32,83 --> 00:35:36,81 about the workers and Jerry is right this is about human beings and and our 401 00:35:36,82 --> 00:35:43,08 obligation to each other so I think at this point if there's any 402 00:35:43,13 --> 00:35:48,38 clarifying questions you have we can do that real quick or we can break into your 403 00:35:48,39 --> 00:35:52,05 discussion groups which you normally do. Yes or. 404 00:35:59,80 --> 00:36:01,22 That well the Walton family 405 00:36:01,23 --> 00:36:06,77 a lot of the wealth that they amass is through their stock and so oftentimes I'm 406 00:36:06,78 --> 00:36:11,75 sure you've seen with like Facebook and other companies they manage to get rich 407 00:36:11,76 --> 00:36:15,56 even if their companies aren't profitable it's not that Wal-Mart isn't profitable 408 00:36:15,86 --> 00:36:22,33 worldwide so the same store sales is one statistic just to see how their stores are 409 00:36:22,34 --> 00:36:28,15 profitable they take one store and say year after year is it growing is it is it 410 00:36:28,16 --> 00:36:34,96 becoming is our sales increasing and in the last two or three quarters they've had 411 00:36:34,97 --> 00:36:39,93 same store sales losses so their stores that are open for more than 412 00:36:39,94 --> 00:36:44,93 a year year after year are losing money but what Wal-Mart does very well as they 413 00:36:44,94 --> 00:36:49,64 build new stores so if you can't make money in the stores that you have you build 414 00:36:49,65 --> 00:36:54,91 more stores you put other competitors out of business and then you have more stores 415 00:36:54,92 --> 00:37:01,34 and Wal-Mart has pledged to continue to build more stores especially in urban urban 416 00:37:01,35 --> 00:37:06,78 cities like Seattle they're very determined to build more stores and we certainly 417 00:37:07,12 --> 00:37:10,34 are opposing that until Wal-Mart does right by their workers. 418 00:37:14,57 --> 00:37:21,32 You know we won't. Be going to Wal-Mart you saving money and helping to 419 00:37:21,33 --> 00:37:26,00 community I love this company but you know what this mean I like to change to 420 00:37:26,01 --> 00:37:32,12 Wal-Mart though we had three workers because you know 421 00:37:33,16 --> 00:37:34,36 Wal-Mart is helping 422 00:37:34,37 --> 00:37:41,52 a lot of people to you know it's my opinion. You know it's mean treat 423 00:37:41,53 --> 00:37:47,08 the workers right the bigger company in toward. You know to be there you know get 424 00:37:47,09 --> 00:37:52,26 a job you know you want to mean it's mean it's mean it's this is the more like 425 00:37:52,27 --> 00:37:59,09 treat the workers right the more Wal-Mart the more making money because it's S'pore 426 00:37:59,10 --> 00:38:02,78 me it's me and even one much you don't treat me right but I always stick to 427 00:38:02,79 --> 00:38:08,48 business because I don't like to get by and it's to people but I'm showing my right 428 00:38:08,99 --> 00:38:14,69 eye showing the Wal-Mart right because you know right it's right you know 429 00:38:16,37 --> 00:38:18,54 I think Andrea's not alone there are 430 00:38:18,55 --> 00:38:23,85 a lot of leaders in our Wal-Mart who are very clear they love their jobs they love 431 00:38:23,86 --> 00:38:29,56 their coworkers they love their customers they just want Wal-Mart to to be the best 432 00:38:29,57 --> 00:38:31,38 that it can be they want Wal-Mart to be 433 00:38:31,39 --> 00:38:36,90 a leader and demonstrate that you can be profitable and you can treat workers 434 00:38:36,91 --> 00:38:43,63 fairly so. Or you can say. Oh. Yeah 435 00:38:44,20 --> 00:38:45,80 i Report but it's 436 00:38:45,81 --> 00:38:50,99 a problem yes that's why it's very very spirited discomfort me because she control 437 00:38:50,100 --> 00:38:57,74 everything and I call OSHA or report this and OSHA before you come to my store 438 00:38:58,46 --> 00:39:02,91 he called for ice again visit your store and it's all this booking equipment he 439 00:39:02,92 --> 00:39:09,79 hired. And but one thing that Jerry did do is he did 440 00:39:09,80 --> 00:39:10,53 file 441 00:39:10,83 --> 00:39:16,68 a formal complaint because of the retaliation he was suffering because he was raising 442 00:39:16,69 --> 00:39:21,27 safety issues he won that and Wal-Mart as a result was forced to put 443 00:39:21,28 --> 00:39:26,44 a little sign up in the break room saying we're sorry you actually have the right 444 00:39:26,45 --> 00:39:31,77 to do these various things and we won't interfere with your rights again so so 445 00:39:31,81 --> 00:39:32,84 Jerry did win 446 00:39:33,71 --> 00:39:38,44 a suit against them and it is no monetary damages of course but he did win 447 00:39:39,35 --> 00:39:41,67 a disk retaliation charge. 448 00:39:47,00 --> 00:39:53,23 Or. Oh. Oh oh 449 00:39:54,57 --> 00:39:59,14 you know supposed to be I file. But you know the government shut down. 450 00:40:06,95 --> 00:40:09,04 Already. Or you. 451 00:40:14,59 --> 00:40:21,01 Know what Dorney about all right no. No no I have no authority about that and 452 00:40:21,88 --> 00:40:28,35 it's I mean that's why you know I decided to go into school were calling Ari 453 00:40:28,39 --> 00:40:35,07 because you know. It's like I have I have a case and I have 454 00:40:35,08 --> 00:40:41,76 a family to do all you know created this way. You know. 455 00:40:42,94 --> 00:40:49,48 That's. Well there was 456 00:40:49,84 --> 00:40:53,57 the largest class action suit filed in the history of the United States against 457 00:40:53,58 --> 00:40:59,84 Wal-Mart for gender discrimination and then the Supreme Court famously blew that 458 00:41:00,06 --> 00:41:01,96 out of the water by saying that you can't file 459 00:41:01,97 --> 00:41:04,77 a class action lawsuit it was basically 460 00:41:04,78 --> 00:41:10,90 a big too big too big to sue argument that if you're that big all of the women have 461 00:41:10,91 --> 00:41:14,12 to demonstrate that they were discriminated against in 462 00:41:14,13 --> 00:41:20,61 a similar way or that So basically what the Supreme Court did 463 00:41:20,62 --> 00:41:27,56 was limit the possibility of large scale lawsuits class action lawsuits like 464 00:41:27,57 --> 00:41:34,01 this in the future what's been happening since then is that the class has broken up 465 00:41:34,02 --> 00:41:40,69 into like states and different states are now suing. For gender discrimination to 466 00:41:40,70 --> 00:41:44,14 demonstrate that yes these women are in 467 00:41:44,15 --> 00:41:49,57 a class together because they're impacted by the same management team or it's it's 468 00:41:49,58 --> 00:41:54,80 complicated but basically they didn't say that there were not merits to the suit 469 00:41:54,84 --> 00:41:59,36 they just said that Wal-Mart's too big to sue in that manner and. 470 00:42:02,11 --> 00:42:09,08 For. The Puget 471 00:42:09,09 --> 00:42:10,16 Sound our Walmart. 472 00:42:34,77 --> 00:42:40,71 Organization United for spec that Wal-Mart does pursue legal. 473 00:42:43,65 --> 00:42:49,76 Yeah legal means does does pursue filing charges when you can and 474 00:42:50,16 --> 00:42:56,87 getting. Getting. Retaliation and 475 00:42:56,88 --> 00:43:02,02 clearly unlawful behavior dealt with but if you're familiar at all with labor law 476 00:43:02,03 --> 00:43:07,70 in this country I think you would be shocked at how much corporations can get away 477 00:43:07,71 --> 00:43:14,57 with and really not suffer any. Any consequences and if they do if there are 478 00:43:14,57 --> 00:43:21,31 consequences they come ten years down the road or longer and it's basically. A slap 479 00:43:21,32 --> 00:43:26,21 on the wrist if that for corporations and so we do have our Wal-Mart does have 480 00:43:26,89 --> 00:43:31,88 a legal team and they do pursue that but really what this is about is this is about 481 00:43:31,89 --> 00:43:37,05 people power and really the way that Wal-Mart is going to change isn't by suing 482 00:43:37,06 --> 00:43:43,04 them they have teams and teams of high paid lawyers that are going to countersue 483 00:43:43,10 --> 00:43:49,84 and argue everything imaginable you know and when they do end up having to pay 484 00:43:50,14 --> 00:43:55,16 they will pay but it's it's in consequential for them and so really this is about 485 00:43:55,17 --> 00:43:59,29 the power of people the power of community to stand up and demand that Wal-Mart do 486 00:43:59,30 --> 00:44:03,55 better Wal-Mart isn't going to change because we sue them they're going to change 487 00:44:03,85 --> 00:44:08,73 because their workers force them to change and because communities in which they 488 00:44:08,74 --> 00:44:15,27 operate demand that they change and so. But I do I definitely 489 00:44:15,28 --> 00:44:19,58 understand where you're coming from and when you see an injustice like this it's 490 00:44:19,59 --> 00:44:26,41 hard not to say just go after them just sue them and there those options are 491 00:44:26,42 --> 00:44:31,79 being pursued but labor law in this country is not what it's cracked up to be. 492 00:44:36,87 --> 00:44:41,17 Here. And that's a good point i'll let jerry speak to this 493 00:44:41,18 --> 00:44:44,46 a little also but you know it's mean a lot of people you know want 494 00:44:44,50 --> 00:44:45,53 a lot of people out of 495 00:44:46,18 --> 00:44:53,07 a lot of Wal-Mart workers. Supposed to be you know going to 496 00:44:53,11 --> 00:44:59,67 boycott but he's so afraid because of Wal-Mart management. Like bullying every day 497 00:44:59,67 --> 00:45:01,57 . That's why 498 00:45:02,53 --> 00:45:07,84 a lot of workers don't want to lose this job. And that's why you don't do it but 499 00:45:08,12 --> 00:45:13,06 mostly Walker you don't like the war and it's operate. 500 00:45:15,78 --> 00:45:22,13 So afraid of Allah. But me I'm not afraid to Wal-Mart because I know I did stand up 501 00:45:22,14 --> 00:45:28,11 my right and it's been. He fired me and as far as 502 00:45:28,80 --> 00:45:33,44 a consumer boycott our Walmart is really about supporting the workers and 503 00:45:33,45 --> 00:45:38,69 organizing the workers and making change at Walmart is about educating community 504 00:45:38,70 --> 00:45:43,35 and educating consumers and customers are going to make make their own decisions 505 00:45:43,36 --> 00:45:48,74 right. We're not about speaking to the behavior of customers were about speaking to 506 00:45:48,75 --> 00:45:54,73 Wal-Mart's behavior and there are some workers Wal-Mart management is very good at 507 00:45:54,74 --> 00:46:00,49 demonizing those of us who are supporting workers and they will have meetings with 508 00:46:00,50 --> 00:46:04,61 workers and say look you know they want you to lose your job they want you to lose 509 00:46:04,62 --> 00:46:08,72 hours they're saying people don't shop in your stores that means you're not going 510 00:46:08,73 --> 00:46:12,34 to get your hours you're not going to get you know the paycheck that you need to 511 00:46:12,35 --> 00:46:18,84 feed your family so Wal-Mart management is very good at spinning things and making 512 00:46:18,85 --> 00:46:24,05 us seem like where we're the enemy and we we don't want to feed into that and we 513 00:46:24,06 --> 00:46:28,69 also are really focused on Wal-Mart's behavior consumers are going to make the 514 00:46:28,70 --> 00:46:33,25 choices they're going to make some customers are going to continue to shop if they 515 00:46:33,26 --> 00:46:36,76 continue to shop we ask them while they're shopping to let the workers know that 516 00:46:36,77 --> 00:46:40,59 they're supporting them and that they stand by them the workers who choose not to 517 00:46:40,60 --> 00:46:46,20 shop that's fine too that's their decision the consumers who choose not to shop at 518 00:46:46,21 --> 00:46:49,26 Wal-Mart we ask that you continue to support the workers through the protests. 519 00:47:02,99 --> 00:47:03,98 We go. 520 00:47:17,38 --> 00:47:17,79 Through. 521 00:47:50,18 --> 00:47:57,16 Well. We will definitely doing asking folks who are interested 522 00:47:57,17 --> 00:48:00,83 either churches or individuals if they want to do 523 00:48:00,84 --> 00:48:05,64 a fundraiser to support workers like Jerry who have suffered retaliation for doing 524 00:48:05,65 --> 00:48:11,72 the right thing yeah that's that's very welcome. And absolutely supporting the 525 00:48:11,73 --> 00:48:18,62 organizing is key on the environmental impacts Wal-Mart when they tried to recreate 526 00:48:18,63 --> 00:48:23,70 themselves with this save save money live better theme they basically pulled out 527 00:48:23,71 --> 00:48:28,24 all the stops and we were just chatting it in the back of the room I think I don't 528 00:48:28,25 --> 00:48:31,49 know if this statistic is correct but I think that Wal-Mart spends about sixty 529 00:48:31,50 --> 00:48:32,45 million dollars 530 00:48:32,49 --> 00:48:39,04 a day on image on image and it's shocking how much money they spend but this is you 531 00:48:39,05 --> 00:48:45,09 know cross the country television commercials spokespeople everything under the sun 532 00:48:45,34 --> 00:48:49,79 and one of their big pushes was the green washing saying Wal-Mart we're going to 533 00:48:49,80 --> 00:48:52,84 put green roofs on top of top of stores they've got 534 00:48:52,85 --> 00:48:55,09 a store in Portland Oregon but they're putting 535 00:48:55,10 --> 00:48:58,21 a green roof on it and saying look how wonderful we are and we're going to let 536 00:48:58,22 --> 00:49:02,85 researchers go on that green roof and do their research and we are you know the 537 00:49:02,86 --> 00:49:09,26 beacon for Environmental Responsibility. But it's greenwashing 538 00:49:09,27 --> 00:49:12,21 it's a front it's 539 00:49:12,22 --> 00:49:16,18 a way to try to get the environmental movement on their side what they do is they 540 00:49:16,19 --> 00:49:22,83 squeeze suppliers and they tell the suppliers you have to decrease packaging of 541 00:49:22,84 --> 00:49:28,59 your goods by twenty percent they force the costs elsewhere just like they force 542 00:49:28,60 --> 00:49:32,92 their workers on to state subsidized health care they support they force their 543 00:49:32,93 --> 00:49:39,45 suppliers to the. They saying if you want to put your product on our shelves you 544 00:49:39,46 --> 00:49:43,63 have to decrease your packaging and so then the suppliers are scrambling trying to 545 00:49:43,64 --> 00:49:47,64 figure out how do we decrease our packaging because we want to stay on the shelves 546 00:49:47,65 --> 00:49:54,44 of the country's largest grocer. But it's at no cost to them and 547 00:49:54,45 --> 00:49:59,68 then they use this and they hold it up and say look how wonderful we are so it's 548 00:50:00,07 --> 00:50:05,14 but and then also if you look at the square feet of Wal-Mart Supercenter I think is 549 00:50:05,15 --> 00:50:08,48 like one hundred thirty thousand square feet and then you look at how many super 550 00:50:08,49 --> 00:50:13,59 centers are built across the country and just the sheer square footage of the 551 00:50:13,60 --> 00:50:17,14 stores themselves the environmental impact that has and then the fact that they 552 00:50:17,15 --> 00:50:21,22 don't buy local They buy anywhere around the world where they can get the cheapest 553 00:50:21,23 --> 00:50:26,100 goods and then the environmental footprint of that model where they're there 554 00:50:27,01 --> 00:50:30,82 scouring the world for the cheapest goods and then bringing it here in the cheapest 555 00:50:30,83 --> 00:50:36,07 manner and oftentimes that means under the worst environmental conditions so. 556 00:50:37,13 --> 00:50:38,13 Wal-Mart is definitely not 557 00:50:38,14 --> 00:50:46,58 a friend of the environment. You 558 00:50:46,59 --> 00:50:48,82 know. What. 559 00:50:54,55 --> 00:50:54,92 You want. 560 00:51:10,20 --> 00:51:12,73 Or you. Know. 561 00:51:56,76 --> 00:52:03,50 Wal-Mart has has tried different models I mean basically the way that they've 562 00:52:03,51 --> 00:52:09,61 made them so the way they have branded themselves is we provide the lowest price 563 00:52:10,24 --> 00:52:11,39 so if you're on 564 00:52:11,40 --> 00:52:14,82 a budget if you're living paycheck to paycheck you need to be shopping here because 565 00:52:14,83 --> 00:52:21,80 we we are the lowest priced employer and they don't. They don't they don't brand 566 00:52:21,81 --> 00:52:26,58 themselves saying we treat our workers great I mean they don't even try because I 567 00:52:26,59 --> 00:52:31,93 mean they they have some advertisements but really I think we most people 568 00:52:31,94 --> 00:52:35,41 understand if they pay any attention to the way Wal-Mart operate that Wal-Mart 569 00:52:35,42 --> 00:52:39,17 doesn't do right by its workers and so that's not really I don't think in their 570 00:52:39,18 --> 00:52:46,15 business model in terms of of how they how they determine how they 571 00:52:46,34 --> 00:52:51,33 factor in profitability and how they they think that they're going to continue to 572 00:52:51,34 --> 00:52:54,45 grow and be the largest grocer in the U.S. 573 00:52:54,82 --> 00:53:00,33 It's about the lowest price this is where you need to shop and we're going to get 574 00:53:00,34 --> 00:53:04,55 it at the lowest cost in the lowest cost means the lowest wages no health care 575 00:53:04,56 --> 00:53:08,45 benefits on and on. I don't think they try to respond honestly. 576 00:53:11,66 --> 00:53:15,72 No it's the dollar store they're actually losing ground to some of the reason that 577 00:53:15,73 --> 00:53:22,27 they're the analysis of why their stores are suffering right now is they think that 578 00:53:22,29 --> 00:53:26,12 they're actually losing ground to the dollar stores and to other stores that are 579 00:53:26,12 --> 00:53:30,76 actually undercutting even Wal-Mart and it's really it says 580 00:53:30,78 --> 00:53:35,22 a lot about our society people are struggling they're struggling and they some 581 00:53:35,24 --> 00:53:39,22 can't even afford Wal-Mart now and they're they're going to the dollar stores and 582 00:53:39,22 --> 00:53:45,94 other places and so I think it. That's it their competition is the dollar store. 583 00:53:46,78 --> 00:53:50,93 So what I'm hearing like from from your small group discussions of the ways that 584 00:53:51,38 --> 00:53:53,64 you can help one is finding 585 00:53:53,65 --> 00:53:59,58 a pro bono lawyer to help you know workers like Jerry One way is to turn out in 586 00:53:59,59 --> 00:54:05,59 mass to any strike or any action where the workers right on rather than the Flyers 587 00:54:05,60 --> 00:54:09,90 are in the back where the workers are fighting for their rights and just need US 588 00:54:09,91 --> 00:54:14,98 backing them up another way is taking action yourselves and actually on the Black 589 00:54:14,99 --> 00:54:20,47 Friday it's by black I think it's Black Friday protest dot org You can go on and 590 00:54:20,48 --> 00:54:23,11 you can adopt your own store so we are going to have 591 00:54:23,12 --> 00:54:27,85 a Black Friday action at one of the Walmart stores in our area but there are 592 00:54:27,86 --> 00:54:33,61 another twenty stores in the Puget Sound that won't have an organized action by us 593 00:54:33,85 --> 00:54:37,71 and so if you wanted to get some of your neighbors or your congregation together 594 00:54:37,72 --> 00:54:41,84 and say we're going to take the Mount Vernon Wal-Mart we're going to take you know 595 00:54:41,85 --> 00:54:46,31 the Federal Way Supercenter we're going to take the Covington Wal-Mart and we're 596 00:54:46,32 --> 00:54:50,28 going to do an action on Black Friday ourselves their resources where you can 597 00:54:50,29 --> 00:54:55,00 organize it there are flyers that you can download and you can you can take charge 598 00:54:55,26 --> 00:55:02,10 so there are ways that you can do that yourselves and I think it's really. The 599 00:55:02,11 --> 00:55:03,14 commitment we need 600 00:55:03,15 --> 00:55:09,01 a long term commitment because Wal-Mart is responding they're reacting but they're 601 00:55:09,02 --> 00:55:13,64 reacting in ways that aren't improving the workers' lives they're paying more money 602 00:55:13,65 --> 00:55:14,50 into P.R. 603 00:55:14,51 --> 00:55:18,77 They're getting better commercials they're they're giving money to churches and 604 00:55:18,78 --> 00:55:23,86 local organizations and and trying to be the do gooder in the community giving 605 00:55:23,87 --> 00:55:28,89 money to food banks but they're not putting the money where it needs to be in 606 00:55:28,90 --> 00:55:32,90 supporting the workers and so we need to be in this for the long haul and. 607 00:55:35,63 --> 00:55:40,39 Exactly. Exactly because the food banks are stressed and we have 608 00:55:40,40 --> 00:55:43,71 a sign up sheet in the back so if you want to be involved in the making change or 609 00:55:43,72 --> 00:55:46,73 Wal-Mart coalition that's what it's about it's not just organizations it's 610 00:55:46,74 --> 00:55:48,64 individuals who we have 611 00:55:48,65 --> 00:55:53,27 a rapid responder list and we find out what store you live closest to and basically 612 00:55:53,28 --> 00:55:56,25 somebody that says if there's a fight if workers are going to deliver 613 00:55:56,26 --> 00:55:59,68 a petition and you need customers and community members and 614 00:55:59,69 --> 00:56:02,01 a delegation to go count me and give me 615 00:56:02,02 --> 00:56:06,57 a call I'll be there and so you can sign up on the sign up sheet in the back and 616 00:56:06,58 --> 00:56:10,77 you reminded me of another way that you can help and there are ways in public 617 00:56:10,78 --> 00:56:12,02 policy that we can make 618 00:56:12,03 --> 00:56:16,78 a difference and so we were the first city third city in the nation to pass for 619 00:56:16,79 --> 00:56:22,14 state paid sick leave law and so if there were a Wal-Mart in Seattle there's 620 00:56:22,15 --> 00:56:26,56 a Sam's Club Actually they are now forced forced to do the right thing at least by 621 00:56:26,57 --> 00:56:30,50 that law and give the workers first day paid sick leave and allow them to accrue 622 00:56:30,51 --> 00:56:35,35 that that needs to be expanded Statewide there's the fifteen dollar minimum wage 623 00:56:35,61 --> 00:56:40,58 movement that's nationwide but it's also growing more and more not just at Sea-Tac 624 00:56:40,59 --> 00:56:46,12 Airport but now there's buzz around something like that moving in Seattle and so we 625 00:56:46,13 --> 00:56:51,68 can force Wal-Mart to do better through our laws also it's unfortunate that that's 626 00:56:51,69 --> 00:56:57,23 what has to happen sometimes but you know we do what we've got to do so support 627 00:56:57,24 --> 00:57:01,48 public policy that supports workers big money is going to come in and tell you all 628 00:57:01,49 --> 00:57:05,30 the reasons why it's going to hurt you if you support your prices are going to go 629 00:57:05,31 --> 00:57:06,58 up look at the G.M.O. 630 00:57:06,59 --> 00:57:09,06 Labeling stuff so there's going to be 631 00:57:09,07 --> 00:57:12,22 a lot of money telling you it's not the right thing for you and your families in 632 00:57:12,23 --> 00:57:16,92 your community don't do this don't increase the minimum wage don't do that and just 633 00:57:17,25 --> 00:57:22,74 try to see through that and support workers and and then we'll continue with the 634 00:57:22,75 --> 00:57:27,39 work or organizing and between all of us Wal-Mart will change will change 635 00:57:27,40 --> 00:57:30,17 eventually. We got to have hope.